


would you be so kind?

by coldairballoons



Series: Me and My Husband (We're Doing Better) [4]
Category: A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket
Genre: First Dates, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:48:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29732742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coldairballoons/pseuds/coldairballoons
Summary: Jerome Squalor was a nervous wreck, and Charles could tell.(Title from “Would You Be So Kind” by Dodie)
Relationships: Charles/Jerome Squalor
Series: Me and My Husband (We're Doing Better) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2157171
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	would you be so kind?

**Author's Note:**

> Mmmm... best boys.

Jerome Squalor was a nervous wreck, and Charles could tell. Well, he knew his friend, he knew how once he got started on a train of thought, it would almost consume him, and he  _ also _ knew that this was… definitely a train of thought. 

“Jer?” Charles leaned forward a bit over the table, giving him a small smile. “Are you alright?”

“Yes.” Jerome lied, biting his lip. “Well, no, actually, because I’m thinking right now, and you know how it gets, when I can’t  _ stop _ thinking, and jeez, this is sounding really rambly and I am so sorry, but…”

Charles sat back in his seat and nodded, a smile playing at his lips as he picked up a glass of water and took a sip. Thank goodness the two had found a place that didn’t conform to the “In/Out System”, as Jerome had taken to calling it, as that week, asparagus water was “In”... Charles shuddered at the thought. 

Though, he supposed that had something to do with Jerome’s nerves. After all, his ex-wife… well, not  _ legally _ , but his sort-of-ex-wife-but-not-really-ex-in-the-eyes-of-the-law-but-ex-in-the-eyes-of-Jerome-and-Charles-and-pretty-much-everyone-else-including-her had been the city’s 6th most important financial advisor, and by taking such duty, the “In/Out System” was a part of his daily life.

“And, well, I was thinking that, you know, we’ve grown so close lately,” Jerome said, wringing his hands. “I really like you, Charles, and I don’t know if we’re… well, if we’re close enough to be considered friends yet, but even if we are-”

“Jerome?” Charles tried, but Jerome talked over him in his nervousness. “I was just thinking, well, if you want to try something, if you want to try a relationship, because I know we’ve both had weird or bad or both experiences in the past regarding relationships, and we’re fairly good friends, I think, in my opinion, I could be reading this wrong, but I  _ really _ like you, Charles, and I’m not trying to be like-” He made some gesture with his hands. “Relationship! Now! Absolutely have to! But if- If you want, that’s an option, that’s definitely an option that I would love to explore with you, if you want-”

“ _ Jerome _ .” Charles said, and Jerome paused to look up at him. He could see now how red the other man’s face was, but whether that was due to a lack of oxygen from his ranting, or from his flushed embarrassment, he wasn’t sure.

Jerome cleared his throat, shutting his eyes, as if anticipating a rejection. “...yes?”

“Shush, and kiss me.” Charles reached a hand out to his friend over the table, and Jerome’s dark eyes flitted up to look at his own. “If you want, of course, you don’t have to-“

“I-“ Jerome gaped for a moment, looking down at their hands, then back up at Charles, then back down again at their hands. “...can I?”

“I just asked you to.” He laughed, squeezing his hand. “C’mere, Jer.”

And for the second time that evening, Charles was entirely too glad that they had chosen someone free from asparagus water, because the taste of Jerome’s lips against his… well, he wouldn’t have missed that for the world.


End file.
